Excavating-machine.



HQL. W; SWEET & CT B. T. HUTCHINS. ExcAv'ArmG MAcHrNE.

APPLICATION FILED v.TUNE 8. T912.

1,208,230. Yatemed Dec. 12, muis.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l1 QB, l\ 9e f xg w 5% y/wd l@ 4 H. L. & w. sw'm a. c. B. T. HUTCHINS.

EXCAVATING MACHINE.

APPLxcMioH HLED JUNE s. :912.

Patented Dec. 12, mw.

l3 SHEETSv-SHEET 2.

//M www al mpw. swam al, c. s. Hucnms.

, EXCAVAHM HMZHiNE.

' AFPLQCM'WM ULEB MINE: B 19H2.

1,208,230, Patent/ed Dec. 12,1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

UNiTED STATES- PA'LENT OFFICE I-IENBY L. SWEET iANI) WALDO SWEET, OF FOND DU' LAC', AND CHARLES B. T. HTGHINS,

0F MENASHA, WISCDNSIN, ASSIGNORS T0 B. F. 85 H. L. SWEET COMPANY, OF FOND- DU LAC, WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION OFl WISCONSIN. v I

EircavA'rING-MAQHINE.

Application iile .Tune 8, L1912. Serial No. 702,432. -Y

which the following is a full, clear, concise,

Aand exact description, reference being had to the. accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specn'icati/on. f

Our invention relates to' excavating maclliinery and contemplates certain improved features which go to make a simple, econonflical, and efficient machine.

Like other excavating inachines5'the de vice of our invention comprises'a vehicle which carries a power plant and a shovel or scoop, the power plant being utilized to ina- 1 nipulate the scoop and ortraction pun poses. l

Our invention 1s concerned with the manner in which the scoop is manipulated and' with the provlsion ot simple and eliective.

mechanism for securingl thismanipulation. We contemplate also a particular form of scoop and wev4 provide an arrangement so that the forward end of the scoop faces the vehicle. The scoop is at the 'rear of the machine andis the last part to pass over Ythe ground. to be Worked. v

Machines of the kind to which our invention relates 'are used toV a great-.extent for I ditching and when the forward' end of the' scoop is made to face away from the Inachine, the vehicle must pass over the ditch, Spanning it like a bridge, andmust ride upon the earth Work on the sides as' a bed.

The arrangement is such that proper malso nipulation ofthe scoop'is obt'ainedo'that vehicle may ride upon 'untouched ground. .Dur -machine can excavate double the lton, and We have made these new 'arrangementsfthe subject matter of the appended claims. p p The most ditlcalt operations proposed for I Specicaton of Letters Patent.

Patented'Dec. 12,1916.

' Aeac'avating machinery-fare those of ditching marsh lands, audit will he seen that the .mode of operation of our device is particu lai-1y adapted to this use. .Many features of our invention will he seen to lle-*applicable to such aprocess. In view of this'use of the machine, the traction wheels are mada in the fornaci' large drums so that a considerable .hearing surface may be had and so that the weight may he as widelyl dis.N tributed as possihle.- The use of very Wide rimmed traction wheels,A like. this, has been.

restricted, if not prohibited, hy reason of,

the fact th at the vehicle becametoo Wide for running on country roads, in going about from place to place, and thisl is so particu-l larly in the case 'of bridges'and the like which would not he made osuch uncornbroad vwhen the vehicle is to be used in marsh lands or other lands Where suchl a considerable bearing surface 1s desirable.

Our invention is embodied in the structure in whichf Figure 1 is a plan View thereof; Fig.' 2 is a side elevational View thereof; Fig. 3 is an illustrated inthe accompanying-r drawings,

isolated detail sectional. lView showing thel means for supporting the scoop pole; Fig. 4 is an isolated sectional View ofthe traction Wheels and the directly associated parts; v

Fig. 5 is a detail view taken' from the 'rear' of the machine and showing the turn table andthe directlyassociated parts;and Fig. 6 is a plan view of the turn table and the di rectly associated parts.

Like reference characters are applied to the same parts throughout the several views.

The main frame of the vehicle is illustrated at 7 andxit will be seen from Figs. 1

and 2, that it is simply in theorm of a rec- Y tang'ular platform which is required. to

carry the power pla-nt and the various op 'erating parts. As clearlyl' shown in Fig; 4.

this'main frame 7, through the medium of 'suitable.journal boxes 8, 8, is mounted upon tubular axles 9, which are shifting unduly to either si collars 10, 10, held in lace by mea-ns of set screws 11, 11. On each) prevented from e by means of end ofeach'tnbular.

axle, a wheel 12 is secured and it is evident I- justed position by means of set screws 14,

to one member of a 14. Thus, We rovide a telescoping arrange ment, and at t ie free e'nd oi. each of the supplementary axles 13 We provide a wheel l5 of substantially the same size as the wheels l2, 12. Instead' of four wheels therefore, We have four pairs of Wheels and the inembers of each pair may` be disposed quite closelyy together or quite tar apart as de aired. Each air, of wheels is provided with aplurality oijt'read pieces 16, 1G, which are connected across the two wheels and are held in plaeeby mea-ns of removable bolts 17, 17. These tread pices form the tread surface of the resulting traction drum and since they i can be readily applied and taken oil, it will be seen that the tread surface may be made .large or small desired. In. fact, tread pieces of different length" might be chosen` from so thatany desired Width maybe given to the traction drums. A very considerable width is desirable when the machine is working yupon marsh lands and, before pointed out, it is quite impossible to have sach drums and at the same time have a practical machine which may be moved aboat from place to place, particularly along country roads. 'We thas propose the practice ol using the wheels with the inemliicrs of each pair drawircloselytogether, while the machine is upon `the road, and of separating them and inserting the wide tread members when the machine has yreached the land n pon which it is to be used. In order to secure good traction under the working conditions of the machine, it is wise to make the tread strips alternately thick shown in Figs. l and 2.

lUpon each of the tubular axles vide a sprocket Wheel 18, and these are yoperatively connected by means of a sprocket chain 19. In connection with the front axle, the boxes 8, 8, instead of being secured directly to the frame', are secured and thin, as clearly 9 we pro- 20, the upper one being secured to the traine,

.and the lower onebeing thatto which the Thus, the front axle 9` axles are secured.

may oscillate for steering purposes and the chain and sprocket connection between they and the rear axle 1s such to ad# sprocketsl we have, for the sake pair of steering plates 20,

fsay that each of the drains upon its shaft for the purposesdof drawing as illustrated in Fig. l. Toward each end of the front axle a collar 21 is provided and.

this collar has a/groove which a ring or hook 23 operates. Each hook is connected by means of a rope or cable Eil with a drum 525 mounted upon one end olE the steering shaft 26, which, in turn, is

eerned with the manner in which the shaft 26 is turned and it sullices to say that any means may be provided for turning it to admit of the proper steering of the machine.

In addition lto the sprocket 18, the front4v provided with a. sprocket 28 which,

sprocket 39 on the engine shaft 40ct' a soiti able engine lll,` The sprocket 37 normally runs loose upon the j ack shaft, but it may be operatively connected therewith by means 'of the clutch 37. ln this way, the engine speed is properly geared down to traction speed. The' engine 1s shown quite diagram-- matically in order to avoid annecessary` conin plication and to avoid illustration and description of arrangements with which our invention is not directly concerned. The en gine may, of course, be connected to the rear axle, but the chain connection permits of the lieccssary oscillation oi the 'lirontl axle.

It is to be noted that we provide three drum shafts a2, 43, and L'l-ll, which are mount ed stationarily4 and transversely oi' the frame in bearings 45, 4G and 47, respectively. The drum shaft 42 is providedwith a drum 48 rotatably mounted thereon, the drum shaft 43 is provided with a drain 49 rotatably mounted thereon, and the drinn sl'iat .44; is provided with the ,drums 50, 51 and 52 rotatably mounted thereon. It will be understood that these/various drums are to`be rotated in some suitable mannersince our invention is not concerned with the particular way in' which these drums are operated, and ot'rclearness, omitted any showing in this respect. These drains could be operatively connected vwith the engine=41`through the intervention of proper clutch mechanism, most desirable arrangement, `Snlliee to vcan loey turned in or letting out the cablesor ropes which are wound upon them, as

prov-ide the sturdy npripghtc 52', 55%, which are braced from the front et? the' machine hy set in bearings 527,' y 27 on the frame 7. Our invention 1s not conand such would be. the

` willbe described' presently, At the rearot' the machine, l(

means ofthe bars 53, 53. A cross-piece 54 *connects the tops ofthe uprights 52', 52',

fio

beams which are cross-connected so as to.

secure a sturdy arrangement. In line below the trunnions .57, 57, a turn table 60 is coaxially mounted uponl a pivot stud 61 set in a cross-piece of the frame 7, and this turn table has, extending rearwardly and upwardly therefrom twobeams 62,'62 which are connected respectively with the ends of `he rearwardly extending beams 59, 59, as

illustrated in Fig. 2, the structure -being reinforced by means of connecting bars 63.

Tlus, the beams 59 may swing about with.

the turn table, and this table in turn is providid with a sheave fportion 64 which is adapted to receive a rope 65. One end of this rope is wound about the drum 5() and the other end is wound about the opposite drum 51 and as these drums are turned properly, the tu vn table is turned so as to swing the rearwardly extending beams from side to .i .Side i At tl e rear end of each of the beams 59,

`a journz .l box 66 is secured and these journal. boxes are arranged to house the trunnions 67, 67 ertending from the sides of a collar 68 which is thus disposed between the two beams.A This is a bearing collar which is shown in ietail in Fig. 3 and which is adapted to receive the upright scoop pole 69 as clearly ill=1stratcd. The inner surface of the collar 68 is rounded as shown, and it will be noted that; it constitutes quite a universal bearing for the pole69, this pole having additional liberty of up and dow-n movement parallel to its axis. At the top of the pole 69, a collar 70 is disposed and this collar Iis connected by means of a rope or cable 7ll Withthe operating drum 49. The cable 7l passes under a guiding sheave 72 which is from the crosspiece.

movably mounted at 73 upon a supporting plato 74 and is further guided between the sheaves'75 and 76, on the top of the crosspiefze 54, and a roller -77 suitably supported It will appear that when the drum 49 is turned, the rope 7l will pi'll forwardly upon the top-of the pole 69 ard the pole will swing about the axis of the trunnions 67, 67. At the bottom of the pole 69 we provide a fork 78 to which the sc Jop79 is pivoted at 80, 80. This scoop, as sh own in the drawings, is made u of strips ol' metal passing lengthwise an crosswise and riveted together at the intersections. A collar 81 is adjustably secured upon the pole 69 and this collar by means of a brace rod 82 is connected w/ith therear end of the sooo It will be apparent; that as the collar 81 is adjustable up and down upon the rod 69,

the rear end of the scoop may be raised or lowered so as to accommodate its position to the particular work in hand. Thepole 69 is provided also with a collar 83 which has a rope or cable 84 secured thereto. This cable y 84 passesupwardly and over a sheave 85 which has its trunnions 86 mounted in the beams 59, 59.l The cable 84 then passes rearwardly and between the sheaves 75 and 76, over the roller 77, and down onto the drum 52. l It will thus be apparent. that when the drum 52 is 'turned in the proper direction, the pole 69 is raised and that when this drum is released, the pole and scoop will drop by gravity. Also mounted upon the pivots-80,

80 is a bail 86 to which a rope or cable 87 vthe ground, as illustrated inF ig. 2, and

which are'rigidly mounted upon side exten sions 91, 91, on the frame 7, as lillust-rated in Fig.` 1. if,

The machine is adapted to l'move in the direction ofthe arrow a so that the scoop I is at the rear of the machine and faces it.

During the scooping action the lscoop is drawn tmvard the machine and the scoop is then raised or moved to oneside or the other to deposit the material excavated. In order that `the scoop may have the proper lateral position, the

rearwardly extending beams 5 9, 59 to one side or the other. When this 'has been set, the drum 52 is released and the scoop 79 will drop down into place. If it is desired to have theI scoop farther to the rearward, the drum 49 is operated'and this brings the top of the'pole 69 toward the frontand the scoop l drums l.')fand 5l are -manipulated to swing the-turn table and the` vdraws the scoop in to ll it. The next oper-4 I ation is to raise the scoop and this is done by setting the drum 52'into operation. This draws inthe cable 84 'and' draws up the pole 69 so that it will move upwardly substantially parallel to its own axis Athrough the collar 68. After the scoop has beenraised sufficiently, the scoop being held in this position, the drum 49 is set into operation and the upper part of Ithe pole 69 is drawn back so as to swing tbc scoop upwardly. This operation drops the earth from the scoop and thc drums may then be worked so as to return the scoop to any desired position.

The form of scoop is important. scoop encounters much less resistance than scoops hereto ore used and is much lighter and more eliicrent. It has not the suction of other scoops to retain the material. parts become worn they may be replaced without the provision of an entirely new de\ The advantages of having the scoop in the particular position in which our scoop is disposed, have already been pointed out, as have the advantages of the telcscop ing wheels. 'It is important that we use a .our-wheel drive since we have found by experiment that such`an arrangement is de cidedly advantageous in practical use.

"eclaim as new and desire to secure by Let-ters Patent: ,v

1. In an4 excavating machine, a frame, a triangular beam extendingfrom and pivoted to said frame, a Vpole sliding vertically in a swinging'joint on said beam, said joint being disposed at the end of said beam, a cable attached to the top of said pole, a drum for said cable, a. cable attached to said pole below said., joint, a sheave for said second named btilble disposed near said svi-'inging joint, drum for said last named cable.

2. In an excavating machine, frame, a horizontally swinging triangular beam pivoted to said frame, a pole sliding vertically in a vertically swinging joint on said beam, a cable attached tothe top of said pole, a drum for said cable, a lifting cable attached to said `pole below said joint, a sheave for said lift ing cable disposed near the swinging joint, and a drum for said last named cable.

3. In an excavating machine, a frame, a. b e'am extending from said frame, a pole sliding vertically in4 a swinging joint on said beam, an adjustable Scoop carried by said pole, a cable'attached to top of said pole,

Such a:

a drum for said cable, a cable attached 1l) said pole below said joint, a drum fof said second named cable, a guiding member for said second named cable disposed near said joint, a cable attached to said scoop, and a drum for said last named cable.

4. In an. excavating machine, a framing beam extending from said frame, a pole sliding vertically in a swinging joint on seid beam, an adjustable scoop carried by said pole, a cable attached to the top of said pole, a dru'rn for said cable,a cable attached to said pole below said joint, a guiding member for said second named cable mounted close to said joint, a drum for saidrsecond named cable, a cable attached to said scoop, and a drum for said last named cable, said scoop facing said frame.

ln an excavating machine, a supporting frame, a beam extending from said frame, a pole sliding vertically in a swinging joint on said beam, an adjustable scoop carried by said pole, a cable secured to the top of said pole, a drum for said cable, a cable fastened to said pole near saidscoop, a guiding member for said' second named cable mounted in proximity to said joint, a drum for said second named cable, common guiding means for both of said cables disposed between said drums and said pole, a cable attached to said scoop, and a drum for said last named cable, said vscoop facing said supporting frame.

(lln an excavating machine, a supporting' frame, a beam extending from said frame, a. pole sliding vertically in a swinging Joint on said beam, a scoop carried by said pole, a

cable attached to the top of said pole, a drum for said cable, a cable atta/cheri to said pole near the scoop, a guiding member for sald lsecond named cable mounted in proximity to `said joint, a drum vfor said second named 

